FCNL PPDC Peace Toolbox 2010

Rebalancing the U.S. Rebalancing the U.S. Foreign Policy ToolboxForeign Policy Toolbox

Friends Committee on National LegislationFriends Committee on National Legislation

The Current U.S. Foreign Policy Toolbox: A QuizThe Current U.S. Foreign Policy Toolbox: A Quiz

1.1. Which does the U.S. government Which does the U.S. government have more of:have more of:

A. Diplomats and foreign service A. Diplomats and foreign service officersofficers

B. Development workersB. Development workers

C. Military band membersC. Military band members

Current U.S. Foreign Policy ToolboxCurrent U.S. Foreign Policy Toolbox

Answer: C Answer: C The U.S. has more military band members than diplomats or The U.S. has more military band members than diplomats or

development workers. Both the State Department and USAID face development workers. Both the State Department and USAID face chronic staffing shortages.chronic staffing shortages.

State Department has total of 25,000 personnel, but suffered from State Department has total of 25,000 personnel, but suffered from

2,400 vacancies in 2009.2,400 vacancies in 2009. In 1990, USAID had 3,500 people administering $5 billion in In 1990, USAID had 3,500 people administering $5 billion in

program funding for economic assistance. In 2009, 2,200 staffers program funding for economic assistance. In 2009, 2,200 staffers oversaw $8 billion. oversaw $8 billion.

DoD maintains 2 million personnel worldwide, including more DoD maintains 2 million personnel worldwide, including more military band members and more lawyers than the entire foreign military band members and more lawyers than the entire foreign service.service.

Note: The 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill included money for 700 Note: The 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill included money for 700 new Foreign Service Officers at the State Department and 300 at USAID. Those new Foreign Service Officers at the State Department and 300 at USAID. Those positions are slowly being filled.positions are slowly being filled.


2.2. The U.S. spends more annually on:The U.S. spends more annually on:

A.A. Foreign aidForeign aid

B.B. Interest on the Pentagon DebtInterest on the Pentagon Debt

C.C. International diplomacyInternational diplomacy


Answer: B, Interest on Pentagon DebtAnswer: B, Interest on Pentagon Debt

In 2009, $176.5 billion dollars, or 6% of the budget, In 2009, $176.5 billion dollars, or 6% of the budget, was spent paying was spent paying interestinterest on the portion of the on the portion of the debt related to past military spending. That is debt related to past military spending. That is almost five times the amount spent on ALL the almost five times the amount spent on ALL the civilian tools to prevent deadly conflict, including civilian tools to prevent deadly conflict, including diplomacy, development and international diplomacy, development and international cooperation ($36 billion, or 1%).cooperation ($36 billion, or 1%).


1. What percentage of your 2009 tax money was spent on civilian capacities to prevent war like diplomacy, development and international cooperation?

A.A. 10.2%10.2%

B.B. 5.6%5.6%

C.C. 1.0%1.0%


Answer: C—1%Answer: C—1%

This money pays for all diplomatic and This money pays for all diplomatic and consular capacities, all consular capacities, all development assistance, and all development assistance, and all contributions to international contributions to international organizations.organizations.

Spending Priorities Askew• $803.5 billion was spent in 2009 on

3-D’s of global engagement (Defense, Diplomacy, and Development)

• 96% ($767.5 billion) was spent on military solutions

• 4% ($36 billion) remains for all U.S. diplomacy, development, and international cooperation

• Source: White House Office of Management and Budget

• Includes supplemental war spending in 2009.

Current Military SpendingDiplomacy and Development

Soldiers over Diplomats

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

Pentagon State Department

Civil Servants

Active Duty

Militarization of Foreign PolicyMilitarization of Foreign Policy As the Pentagon has assumed greater resources, As the Pentagon has assumed greater resources,

it has taken on civilian foreign policy work – it has taken on civilian foreign policy work – reconstruction, development, humanitarian reconstruction, development, humanitarian assistance and the provision of military aid.assistance and the provision of military aid.

Increasingly, the face of U.S. engagement with Increasingly, the face of U.S. engagement with the world is a military one.the world is a military one.

““You’ve heard it from us, some of us and certainly You’ve heard it from us, some of us and certainly me, talk about our foreign policy being too me, talk about our foreign policy being too militarized. I believe that. And it’s got to militarized. I believe that. And it’s got to change.”,change.”,

- Admiral Michael Mullen, Chair of the Joint - Admiral Michael Mullen, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, (Washington Post, Feb. 15, 2009)Chiefs of Staff, (Washington Post, Feb. 15, 2009)

So what?So what? Don’t we need a strong military to respond Don’t we need a strong military to respond

to threats and keep us safe? to threats and keep us safe? Doesn’t the military provide jobs and Doesn’t the military provide jobs and

opportunities?opportunities? Isn’t the Obama administration going to fix Isn’t the Obama administration going to fix

U.S. foreign policy anyway?U.S. foreign policy anyway?

What threatens our security?What threatens our security?

“It has become clear that America's civilian institutions of diplomacy and development have been chronically undermanned and underfunded for far too long -- relative to what we traditionally spend on the military, and more importantly, relative to the responsibilities and challenges our nation has around the world.”

Secretary of Defense, Robert M. Gates, July 15, 2008. “Simply put, it is time to repair our relationship with the world and begin to

take it to the next level - a level defined not only by our military strength, but also by the lives we save and the opportunities we create for the people of other nations. We call upon the next president to elevate the use of tools such as development assistance and diplomacy as integral parts of our national security strategy.”

General Anthony C. Zinni, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), March 28, 2008.

“You’ve heard us, some of us and certainly me, talk about our foreign policy being too militarized. I believe that. And it’s got to change.”

Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, February 9, 2009.

Good for the economy?Good for the economy?

Center for Defense Information:Center for Defense Information:

"As far as providing jobs, military spending "As far as providing jobs, military spending is a much worse investment than other is a much worse investment than other federally funded programs. For example, federally funded programs. For example, $1 billion spent by the Pentagon on $1 billion spent by the Pentagon on weapons, supplies and services generates weapons, supplies and services generates 25,000 jobs. However, the same $1 billion 25,000 jobs. However, the same $1 billion would also create 30,000 mass transit jobs, would also create 30,000 mass transit jobs, 36,000 housing jobs, 41,000 education 36,000 housing jobs, 41,000 education jobs, or 47,000 health care jobs." jobs, or 47,000 health care jobs."

A more effective A more effective toolboxtoolbox

Increase investments in the tools of:Increase investments in the tools of: DDiplomacyiplomacy DDevelopmentevelopment IInternational Cooperationnternational Cooperation

Decrease military spendingDecrease military spending

Restore civilian control over foreign Restore civilian control over foreign policypolicy

DiplomacyDiplomacy

Expand diplomatic corps and provide Expand diplomatic corps and provide training in conflict analysis, negotiation and training in conflict analysis, negotiation and mediation, prevention and resolution of mediation, prevention and resolution of conflictconflict

Redeploy foreign service officers to “global Redeploy foreign service officers to “global hot spots” (Central and East Africa, Middle hot spots” (Central and East Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America)East, Central Asia, Latin America)

Fully fund the Civilian Response Corps under Fully fund the Civilian Response Corps under the State Departmentthe State Department

Permanently authorize and fully fund the Permanently authorize and fully fund the Complex Crises Fund at no less than $100M.Complex Crises Fund at no less than $100M.

DevelopmentDevelopment

Rebuild USAID with technical experts Rebuild USAID with technical experts and development professionalsand development professionals

Strengthen and mainstream both Strengthen and mainstream both conflict and environmentally conflict and environmentally sensitive developmentsensitive development

““Untie” aid to make assistance more Untie” aid to make assistance more efficient and effectiveefficient and effective

Do not use development aid as a Do not use development aid as a weapon of warweapon of war

International CooperationInternational Cooperation

Pay in full and on time U.S. dues to the UN Pay in full and on time U.S. dues to the UN and to other multilateral organizations; and to other multilateral organizations;

Remove the arbitrary cap on U.S. Remove the arbitrary cap on U.S. contributions to UN peacekeeping, which contributions to UN peacekeeping, which undermines the UN’s capacity to deploy undermines the UN’s capacity to deploy effective missionseffective missions

Strengthen UN diplomacy, post-conflict and Strengthen UN diplomacy, post-conflict and prevention capacities, including the UN prevention capacities, including the UN Peacebuilding CommissionPeacebuilding Commission

Support capacity-building for regional Support capacity-building for regional organizations like the African Union and organizations like the African Union and ASEANASEAN

Cut Military SpendingCut Military Spending Rep. Barney Frank proposes 25% cut in Rep. Barney Frank proposes 25% cut in

annual DoD budget.annual DoD budget.““If we are going to get the deficit under If we are going to get the deficit under

control without slashing every domestic control without slashing every domestic program, this is a necessity…The Pentagon program, this is a necessity…The Pentagon is probably the most wasteful organization is probably the most wasteful organization in the federal government and people have in the federal government and people have given it a pass for years.”given it a pass for years.”

Secretary of Defense Gates has proposed Secretary of Defense Gates has proposed ending some outdated Cold War weapon ending some outdated Cold War weapon systems (F-22, C-17), but Congress systems (F-22, C-17), but Congress continues to push back.continues to push back.

The Right Toolbox Needs the The Right Toolbox Needs the Right BlueprintsRight Blueprints

Make the prevention of deadly conflict, Make the prevention of deadly conflict, including genocide and mass atrocities, including genocide and mass atrocities, a priority in U.S. foreign policy.a priority in U.S. foreign policy.

Engage constructively to address Engage constructively to address climate change, reduce weapons climate change, reduce weapons proliferation, and promote a more proliferation, and promote a more equitable and just global economy.equitable and just global economy.

Re-engage with the Muslim world, Iran, Re-engage with the Muslim world, Iran, China, the UN, and the global China, the UN, and the global community.community.

What YOU Can DoWhat YOU Can Do

Visit Visit www.fcnl.orgwww.fcnl.org Sign up for email lists. (Prevent War)Sign up for email lists. (Prevent War) Write, call, and visit your members of Write, call, and visit your members of

CongressCongress Read, listen, learn, teach othersRead, listen, learn, teach others Support our work.Support our work.

Your Members of CongressYour Members of Congress

On this slide add information about your On this slide add information about your Senators and Representative. Questions to Senators and Representative. Questions to consider:consider:

Which committees do they serve on?Which committees do they serve on? Do they have particular areas of interest Do they have particular areas of interest

that overlap with your concerns?that overlap with your concerns? Are there demographics of the state or Are there demographics of the state or

district that are relevant to your issues?district that are relevant to your issues?

Make sure to provide contact information for Make sure to provide contact information for their Washington and local offices.their Washington and local offices.

Documents

FCNL PPDC Peace Toolbox 2010